Yamagata Weather in December

Average temperatures, rainfall, sunshine and the best places to visit in Yamagata, Japan in December.

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Zao Onsen Tsuruoka Yamagata Tendo

Planning a journey to Yamagata, Japan this December and curious over the weather conditions to await? Your essential details are found on this page, answering your query:

What to Expect in Yamagata in December

Yamagata, Japan is a region in Japan. December in Yamagata generally has cold temperatures, with precipitation levels ranging from high to heavy. The month of December is in the winter season.

Temperatures

The average maximum temperatures are cold and range from 5°C (41°F) in Yonezawa to 8°C (46°F) in Sakata. Nighttime temperatures generally drop to 2°C (36°F) in Sakata and -3°C (27°F) in Yonezawa.

To learn more about the conditions in specific areas of Yamagata, Japan, check out the map below.

Precipitation

In December, precipitation varies across different areas. From high snow/rainfall in Zao Onsen with an average of 104 mm (4.1 in) to heavy snow/rainfall in Tsuruoka with 293 mm (12 in).

Average sunshine

Most places get a reasonable amount of sunshine. Take Zao Onsen as an example - it receives around 135 hours of sunlight, offering a nice mix of sunny and partly cloudy days. Want to compare this with brighter destinations? Try our weather planner to explore your options.

Explore Yamagata by month

Pick a month to see the average temperature, rainfall and sunshine in Yamagata — and find the best time to visit. (based on Zao Onsen)

January3°C (37°F) February4°C (39°F) March8°C (46°F) April15°C (59°F) May20°C (68°F) June23°C (73°F) This monthJuly27°C (81°F) August28°C (82°F) September25°C (77°F) October18°C (64°F) November12°C (54°F) December6°C (43°F)
Best Time to Visit Yamagata →

Best Places to Visit in Yamagata in December

Click on a destination dot for more details. Toggle the map to compare temperatures or precipitation across Yamagata.

Conditions Temperatures Precipitation
perfect weather
pleasant
tolerable
unpleasant
poor

Perfect weather is subjective. On this map perfect weather has been defined with temperatures between 20°C (68°F) and 29°C (84°F) and not too much precipitation (less than 90 mm (3.5 in) a month).

Popular Destinations in Yamagata

What is the weather like in December for some of the most popular destinations in Yamagata, Japan?

Temperature range in Yamagata (December)

Precipitation variation in Yamagata (December)

Zao Onsen

In December Zao Onsen generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 6°C (43°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -2°C (28°F) and high monthly snow/rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
12°C (54°F)
6°C (43°F)
3°C (37°F)
Min temperature
3°C (37°F)
-2°C (28°F)
-5°C (23°F)
Monthly sun hours
144 hours
135 hours
148 hours
Monthly snow/rainfall
86 mm (3.4 in)
104 mm (4.1 in)
113 mm (4.4 in)
Monthly rainy days
22 days
27 days
29 days
Weather conditions
unpleasant
poor
poor
Climate in Zao Onsen →

Tsuruoka

In December Tsuruoka generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 7°C (45°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 2°C (36°F) and heavy monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
13°C (55°F)
7°C (45°F)
4°C (39°F)
Min temperature
6°C (43°F)
2°C (36°F)
-1°C (30°F)
Monthly rainfall
224 mm (8.8 in)
293 mm (12 in)
271 mm (11 in)
Monthly rainy days
24 days
29 days
30 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Tsuruoka →

Yamagata

In December Yamagata generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 6°C (43°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -2°C (28°F) and high monthly snow/rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
12°C (54°F)
6°C (43°F)
3°C (37°F)
Min temperature
3°C (37°F)
-2°C (28°F)
-5°C (23°F)
Monthly sun hours
144 hours
135 hours
148 hours
Monthly snow/rainfall
93 mm (3.7 in)
117 mm (4.6 in)
126 mm (5 in)
Monthly rainy days
22 days
27 days
29 days
Weather conditions
unpleasant
poor
poor
Climate in Yamagata →

Tendo

In December Tendo generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 6°C (43°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -2°C (28°F) and high monthly snow/rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
12°C (54°F)
6°C (43°F)
3°C (37°F)
Min temperature
3°C (37°F)
-2°C (28°F)
-5°C (23°F)
Monthly sun hours
144 hours
135 hours
148 hours
Monthly snow/rainfall
93 mm (3.7 in)
115 mm (4.5 in)
121 mm (4.8 in)
Monthly rainy days
22 days
27 days
29 days
Weather conditions
unpleasant
poor
poor
Climate in Tendo →

Kaminoyama

In December Kaminoyama generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 6°C (43°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -2°C (28°F) and high monthly snow/rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
12°C (54°F)
6°C (43°F)
3°C (37°F)
Min temperature
3°C (37°F)
-2°C (28°F)
-5°C (23°F)
Monthly sun hours
144 hours
135 hours
148 hours
Monthly snow/rainfall
93 mm (3.7 in)
117 mm (4.6 in)
127 mm (5 in)
Monthly rainy days
22 days
27 days
29 days
Weather conditions
unpleasant
poor
poor
Climate in Kaminoyama →

Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at all destinations in Yamagata, in Japan.

Popular cities in December

Day & night temperatures, rainfall and average weather in Yamagata in December.

City Weather Day temp Night temp Rainfall
Zao Onsen 6°C (43°F) -2°C (28°F) 104 mm (4.1 in)
Tsuruoka 7°C (45°F) 2°C (36°F) 293 mm (12 in)
Yamagata 6°C (43°F) -2°C (28°F) 117 mm (4.6 in)
Tendo 6°C (43°F) -2°C (28°F) 115 mm (4.5 in)
Kaminoyama 6°C (43°F) -2°C (28°F) 117 mm (4.6 in)
Yonezawa 5°C (41°F) -3°C (27°F) 143 mm (5.6 in)

Yamagata weather in December: frequently asked questions

What is the weather like in Yamagata, Japan in December?

December in Yamagata, Japan brings poor weather. In Zao Onsen, daytime temperatures are typically around 6°C (43°F) and nighttime lows hover near -2°C (28°F).

What is the average temperature in Yamagata, Japan in December?

Daytime temperatures in Zao Onsen peak at roughly 6°C (43°F) in December, dropping to about -2°C (28°F) overnight.

Does Yamagata, Japan get a lot of snow/rain in December?

Yamagata, Japan sees substantial snow/rainfall in December. Zao Onsen typically averages about 104 mm (4.1 in), a mix of wet and dry days, but bring an umbrella.

Is December a Good Time to Visit Yamagata, Japan?

In our opinion, December may not be the ideal time to visit Yamagata, Japan due to the typically poor weather in Zao Onsen.

Generally speaking, May provides perfect weather in Zao Onsen. In contrast, January, February, March and December tend to have poor weather conditions.

Interested in more climate information?

We have much more information about the climate in Yamagata.

Weather and climate has detailed information for every country in the world. Are you going to Japan? Get detailed historical weather averages for many cities in Japan.

Not sure yet where to go? We now have a tool which recommends destinations that suit your ideal travel conditions. Find out where to go with our weather planner.

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